Dancers share lead in Mobile Ballet's 'Cinderella'

“Cinderella” is almost two centuries old, but the grande dame is nowhere near her dotage.

The most obvious reason for the ballet’s enduring charm and staying power is the regular infusion of bright new talent to interpret the most precious of fairy-tale romances. All you need is a winsome lass who is transformed (via Fairy Godmother) into a ravishing princess; and a handsome prince, of course.

A successful ballet requires a few more things, including music — and “Cinderella” has one of the most beautiful written by Sergei Prokofiev. And for comic relief, one must have a vile stepmother and a pair of theatrically revolting stepsisters.

Winthrop Corey’s “Cinderella” has all those elements plus two Cinderellas. This year’s production features two of Mobile Ballet’s own, Lauren Woods and Dailey Dexter, who will share the role during next weekend’s performances.

Woods, 26, will dance the title role during Friday’s “Discover Dance” performance and the March 20 matinee; Dexter, 17, will dance Cinderella on Saturday evening. Both will be partnered by Ian Carney, a favorite of Mobile audiences, who will dance the role of the Prince.

Mobile Ballet last performed “Cinderella” with then 17-year-old Anna Solomon in the lead. Why two Cindys this year?

“Well, the fact that I had two dancers who could do it,” says Corey, artistic director for the company. “I watched both of them very carefully during ‘Nutcracker.’ Dailey was Clara; Lauren had moved back from New York, where she was in art school for two years. She did Dew Drop and the ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ and I thought she just did it beautifully. She had a quality that I thought would lend itself to the role of Cinderella.

Lauren Woods (Press-Register/Victor Calhoun)

“Both are very vulnerable looking, very sweet and honest, and that comes through when they’re dancing, which is what the role requires.”

This production will mark Woods’ third time in “Cinderella,” her first in the title role.

“The music and the choreography in this ballet are so beautiful and this role is ideal for a lyrical dancer (who) enjoys acting,” she says. “I definitely enjoy roles like this more than the strictly classical and technical ones because I can lose myself in the story and dance less self-consciously.

“This is probably the most romantic ballet that we perform that actually has a happy ending — unlike ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ ‘wan Lake’ and ‘Dracula’ — which is always fun.”

Dexter, a student at UMS-Wright Preparatory School, has been dancing for 11 years with Mobile Ballet. She was a member of the corps de ballet for the 2007 production.

“I think ‘Cinderella’ is one of the most exciting pieces we have in our repertoire,” she says. “It has lots of dancing and characters, the costumes — everything about ‘Cinderella is great.’ I really enjoy it. It’s a lot fun for me. It has a lot of acting in it, which I like.”

Woods says she likes the fact that Cinderella is not a purely technical role and “you have to immerse yourself in the character and try to feel everything in your dancing.”

“This role is different for me because I have done more comedic or childlike roles in the past, such as Swanhilde in ‘Coppélia’ and Clara in ‘The Nutcracker.’ Also, it has been fun pretending to be a character from childhood (who) lives happily ever after.

“One of my favorite things about performing is seeing children after the show (who) are inspired to learn ballet. This one will be especially fun because Cinderella is a character most children know well.”

Sharing the role of Cinderella with her Mobile Ballet colleague, Dailey Dexter, has benefited both dancers.

Dailey Dexter (Press-Register/Victor Calhoun)

“Working with Dailey has been so wonderful, not only is she inspiring to watch — she is just fun to be around,” Woods says. “When I stand back and watch her, I am amazed by how young she is. She has a graceful fluidity in her movement that many dancers don’t comprehend until they are more mature, and when she is onstage you cannot take your eyes off of her.

“We have definitely helped each other out, practicing some on our own and pulling each other aside when we are unsure of something in the choreography.”

Dexter agrees, and she says she is grateful that Woods is there for her.

“We really do help each other a lot,” she says. “Lauren and I are very different in the way we dance, our timing and everything. We focus on different things. I love Lauren and I’m glad she’s there in rehearsals with me. She has danced the lead in full ballets before, so she has the experience.”

The part requires technical precision and physical stamina, according to Woods.

“A ballet is always going to be technically demanding no matter how many times you practice it,” she says. “It is also physically demanding because we often do not get to practice the ballet in its entirety until the week of the show when the male dancers are in town. So, during that short time we have to get adjusted to going through the entire ballet without stopping in addition to dancing the pas de deux full out.”

Woods says she has two favorite moments in this ballet.

“The first (is) when Cinderella and the Prince spot each other from across the room at the ball,” she says. “At that point I have been dancing with different suitors, and we both just stop and have a ‘movie moment’ where we see each other. It is really sweet.

“My other favorite moment is the final pas de deux in the kitchen with the Prince after he discovers Cinderella was the one he fell in love with at the ball. Everything about it, the movements and the music, convey the sense of joy of falling in love with someone.”

Woods and Dexter are delighted to partner with an experienced professional such as Ian Carney.

“I am so happy to be working with Ian again,” Woods says. “He has been guesting with us for a while now, so I know him pretty well. He was my partner both times I was Swanhilde in ‘Coppélia,’ and I have done other smaller roles with him. It is always great to have a partner you trust and you know will do everything they can to make the performances run smoothly.”

The audience might not fully appreciate the rigors of dancing Cinderella, but the role has a high degree of difficulty.

“This ballet to me is actually more difficult than it looks,” Woods says. “Before I learned the part, there were never any moments in the choreography that struck me as super tricky. However, there were times when Dailey and I were learning the ballet together and we would watch an old video where something that looked so simple and effortless was actually difficult once we started to dance it.

“Probably the best example would be the dancing that we do with the broom. It is a lot more difficult to coordinate it into the dancing than it looks!”

MOBILE BALLET’S ‘CINDERELLA’

WHAT: Mobile Ballet presents “Cinderella”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. March 19 and 2:30 p.m. March 20

WHERE: Mobile Civic Center Theater

MUSIC: Sergei Prokofiev

CHOREOGRAPHY: Winthrop Corey

ARTISTS: Mobile Ballet’s Lauren Woods (Friday morning and Sunday matinee) and Dailey Dexter (Saturday evening) will share the title role. Guest artist Ian Carney returns as the Prince; David Beech and Robert Biggs portray the ugly stepsisters; and Rhea Mostellar is the cruel stepmother.

COSTUMES: Withrop Corey

SETS: Ron Barrett and Homer McClure

TICKETS: $15, $25 and $40 for adults; $10, $20 and $35 for children, students, seniors; with special rates available for groups, children, students and seniors